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Europe tweaks its Ryder Cup qualifying

VIRGINIA WATER, England – Europe is changing its Ryder Cup qualifying process to strengthen its team through the world ranking and reducing the captain’s picks to two players.

The change announced Tuesday means the top five players to make the 2012 team will come from the European Points list, which is money earned in the 12 months before the matches. The next five players would come from the World Points list, which is world ranking points accumulated during the same time.

Previously, the top four came from world ranking and the next five from European Tour money. Had this change been in place last year, Padraig Harrington and Justin Rose would have earned spots on the team, while Peter Hanson and Miguel Angel Jimenez would not have qualified.